Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Let's hear it for the Radical Left

(insert rimshot here)

Just for the sheer fun of it, I’m gonna share three recent responses I got from some heavyweight Lefties, re: my new book, No Innocent Bystanders.

1. This longtime denizen of the Left had plenty to say about my book—although he admittedly had not read it:

“Your book sounds like it MIGHT be something we would put in the reject pile, honestly, for castigating the poor and weak on grounds that might be reasonable if they had the facts of the matter right, but they don’t. My guess is the same could be said for you and me...with less excuse...not to mention it isn’t a very useful approach toward people you have to organize, at least not typically.”

2. I asked this very well-known radical author if he’d write a blurb but also explained that since I could not afford to mail out review copies, I’d have to send him the book in PDF form:

“Thank you for your note. I’m sorry, if those are the conditions, then I’ll pass. If my blurb isn’t worth the publisher taking the time to print out a copy—if they’re not going to make it easy for me that way and show me that respect—then I can’t see why I should take the time to come up with a blurb. Their respect has to come first, and then I’ll respect them. They can print it on scratch paper. I don’t care. But they need to make that effort. It’s the same with interviews. I don’t do radio interviews where people make me call them: I’m doing them a favor, and they have to make an effort to show me my time and effort are not worthless to them.”

3. Lastly, this much lesser known progressive pundit took umbrage with me evoking the name of Kurt Vonnegut in my pitch e-mail (although, yes, my writing has been compared to Vonnegut’s a few times recently...as if that’s such a big deal anyway):

“You’re actually comparing yourself to Kurt Vonnegut? I’m sorry dude. Count me out for that review. I knew Kurt. Mickey, I hate to break it to you, but you’re no Kurt Vonnegut. What a fucking maniac.”
(MZ: It’s unclear to me if he was calling me or his buddy “Kurt” a maniac. Your thoughts?)

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